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What better way to affirm all that is good in our lives than to keep a gratitude journal?

This increasingly popular concept of taking time in our day to notice even the smallest blessings, can only encourage a greater appreciation for life's daily miracles. It is a labor of love which can either be kept private for personal reflection, presented as a gift to demonstrate heartfelt sentiments or read aloud during the holidays in the spirit of celebration.

Our children, like us, become caught up in the frantic pace of a busy lifestyle. Keeping a gratitude journal allows them to set aside a few moments to reflect upon how they are feeling.

Either by themselves or with your help have them commit to jotting down a specified number of things that they can be thankful for in their day. If they can elaborate on their entries it can be a valuable reality check on their spiritual and emotional well-being.

What purpose does a gratitude journal serve?

* Older children do not necessarily have to share their entries with others, but it certainly can be an ideal vehicle for personal reflection.

* Younger children can use this opportunity to share in some quality conversation with their parents.

Regardless of age, it is a vehicle through which you can tap into issues that are otherwise difficult to address during the day.

Is it worth the time and effort?

By focusing on the 'good' emotions, it forces them to seek out positive instances and can marginalize any negativity they have encountered that day. It is a task which draws attention to how they interpret the world and allows them to look at things in a more optimistic light.

How can we show our thankfulness to the people who are important to us and how do we communicate those feelings?

The journal serves as a gentle reminder that we don't spend enough time acknowledging the special things or people in our lives that give us joy. It is a tangible tool, which can be utilized to open and improve the lines of communication between your child and those who are close to them.

For children of any age, this simple daily exercise helps them sort out what is important to them and emphasizes the goodness around them that they may have otherwise overlooked. Recalling their good fortune on a regular basis teaches them to be more receptive to the positive forces of the universe. It creates a life affirming energy and elicits a sense of happiness that can be reflected back out into the world. When feeling love, we have a better chance of attracting love. It can even be therapeutic to look back on previous entries, as it revisits happy times and perhaps might even point out that prayers were, in fact, answered in unexpected ways.

What if journal writing is not something that your child will take to?

The simple practice of mentioning a reason to be grateful at prayer time, bedtime or the dinner table can serve the same purpose. It is a worthy endeavor, in any form, serving as a testament to the incredible power of life's little pleasures. Imagine the possibilities'if we all took the time to concentrate on the goodness around us, don't you think the world would be a better place?